A federal probationer was arrested with a firearm after officers chased two gunmen who fled from a vehicle and opened fire.

The incident occurred on Tuesday, January 7, at approximately 7:30 p.m., as Corporal Christopher Cain and Officer Nicholas Kroll observed a silver Mercury Grand Marquis commit a traffic violation in the 200 block of West 28th Street. Before the officers were able to conduct a traffic stop, two passengers fled from the vehicle, one of whom began shooting in an unknown direction. The officers pursued to the two suspects on foot as the vehicle fled north on Washington Street. Officers located a loaded 9mm handgun in the block but were unable to capture the suspects.

Assisting officers soon located the Mercury Grand Marquis unoccupied in the unit block of West 31st Street and made contact with the registered owner of the vehicle and her boyfriend at a residence in the block. An investigation determined that the owner’s boyfriend, Thomas Rivers, was operating the vehicle at the time of the incident.

Officers then executed a search warrant on the vehicle and recovered a second loaded 9mm handgun.

Further investigation revealed that Rivers is a federal probationer prohibited from a possessing a firearm, and was in violation of active bond conditions for his presence at a Wilmington Housing Authority (WHA) property while registered as a sex offender.

Thomas Rivers was arraigned at Justice of the Peace Court 20 and committed to Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in lieu of $62,600 cash bail.